I've never raced in a technical racing suit before, but would like to give it a try. I see that Yingfa Sharkskin leggings are significantly cheaper than American made technical suits (Speedo, Tyr). Has anyone raced in Yingfa Sharkskin? Will you please provide feedback? I don't expect them to be quite as good as the more expensive suits, but also don't want to regret trading my old lycra brief for Yingfa leggings. For example, I wouldn't race in standard jammers, because they are just longer versions of the same old water logged lycra briefs. Thanks!
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Former Member
Since there were many views of my original question, but only one person that actually owns a Yingfa technical suit, I thought I would circle back with my 'take' on the Yingfa leggings I ordered a few weeks ago. These leggings cost me just $30 a pair, so I feared they might be a complete rip-off, actually slowing me down like those running tights we used to wear in workouts between back-to-back shave and taper meets. But I was pleased.
For all you seasoned veterans of both competition and technical suits, I have these caveats (so you may want to disregard my opinion entirely!).
I have never swum in a technical suit before, so I can't compare to Fastskin - only my own shaved skin.
'retired' from college swimming 18 years ago and only competed a handful of times betweeen 1998 and 2002 since then. In fact, prior to last August I had not swum more than about 30 workouts in the past six years. So I really don't have any way to compare times with and without the Yingfa leggings........After warming up at practice two weeks ago I put them on. I was actually quite surprised at how buoyant and 'friction-less' my legs felt. Still wary that they wouldn't 'work,' I shaved for the meet last weekend and compared them (at least in feel) to my shaved legs for a couple of warm-up sprints. I think they may have felt just a little bit better than the shaved legs, and they certainly did not feel worse. And I matched the times I did ten years ago. I don't know if I can attribute that to my weight workouts, my attempts at EVF and swimming 'downhill', or my new $30 leggings, but I can't imagine they slowed me down.
Are these as fast as Fastskins? 0.02 per 50 slower? 0.2 seconds slower? I have no idea, but I like them. SO, if you've avoided the technical suits because of the price tag, or would like a back-up suit for Nationals in case your Fastskin rips, I would recommend Yingfa shark skins. Just type in 'Yingfa' on ebay and there are hundreds of them.
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Former Member
Since there were many views of my original question, but only one person that actually owns a Yingfa technical suit, I thought I would circle back with my 'take' on the Yingfa leggings I ordered a few weeks ago. These leggings cost me just $30 a pair, so I feared they might be a complete rip-off, actually slowing me down like those running tights we used to wear in workouts between back-to-back shave and taper meets. But I was pleased.
For all you seasoned veterans of both competition and technical suits, I have these caveats (so you may want to disregard my opinion entirely!).
I have never swum in a technical suit before, so I can't compare to Fastskin - only my own shaved skin.
'retired' from college swimming 18 years ago and only competed a handful of times betweeen 1998 and 2002 since then. In fact, prior to last August I had not swum more than about 30 workouts in the past six years. So I really don't have any way to compare times with and without the Yingfa leggings........After warming up at practice two weeks ago I put them on. I was actually quite surprised at how buoyant and 'friction-less' my legs felt. Still wary that they wouldn't 'work,' I shaved for the meet last weekend and compared them (at least in feel) to my shaved legs for a couple of warm-up sprints. I think they may have felt just a little bit better than the shaved legs, and they certainly did not feel worse. And I matched the times I did ten years ago. I don't know if I can attribute that to my weight workouts, my attempts at EVF and swimming 'downhill', or my new $30 leggings, but I can't imagine they slowed me down.
Are these as fast as Fastskins? 0.02 per 50 slower? 0.2 seconds slower? I have no idea, but I like them. SO, if you've avoided the technical suits because of the price tag, or would like a back-up suit for Nationals in case your Fastskin rips, I would recommend Yingfa shark skins. Just type in 'Yingfa' on ebay and there are hundreds of them.
